Cheltenham teen charged with assaulting Norristown basketball coach

CHELTENHAM — A 15-year-old Cheltenham boy was arrested July 26 following a grand jury investigation and charged with assaulting a Norristown basketball coach in February, according to Cheltenham police.

The juvenile, of the 300 block of Brookdale Avenue, Glenside, a Cheltenham High School freshman at the time, allegedly struck coach Greg Bates on the head with a brick, causing a wound that required stitches, police said. The assault occurred after a boys basketball game in February between Cheltenham and Norristown at Cheltenham High School, police said.

Officers were called to the high school at 500 Rices Mill Road for a large fight in progress around 7:10 p.m. Feb. 8, police said. A large number of Cheltenham spectators were involved in a physical fight with members of the Norristown basketball team, police said.

The Norristown coach was trying to break up a fight in the parking lot when he was struck with a brick, police reported previously.

A joint investigation by Cheltenham detectives and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office ensued, but due to a large number of uncooperative witnesses, the case was ultimately taken before the grand jury, police said.

As a result of the grand jury investigation, charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct were lodged against the youth, who turned himself in, police said. A hearing in Montgomery County Juvenile Court was scheduled for July 31, police said.